Improvement in beer-forcing apparatus



A. HERSEY. BEER-FORMING APPARATUS.

.Ng 195,126, Patented Sep t.11,1877.

N. PETERS, PHoTQ-LHHOGRAPHER, WASHIMFTON, D. G

UNITED STATES PATET OFFICE.

ALONZO HERSEY, OF MONROE, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS- RIGHT TOJAMES P. SORANTON, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN BEER-FORCING APPARATUS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 196,126. datedSeptember 11,1877 application filed July 23, 1877.

Y troducing air or other foreign substance into the beer, which will besimple in construction and durable and efiicieut in use.

My invention therein consists, mainly, in providing a cylindrical barrelwith a pistonhead fitted water-tight in the said barrel, and

adapted to slide from end to end of the same, means being provided forletting a water-pipe into the cask to furnish the necessary pressurebehind the piston; and, further, in providing a cask having such apiston with holes to allow the cask to be tapped for drawing off thebeer, and the water-pipe to be entered at either end of such cask.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows a beercask with my improvement shown inpart in perspective. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section throughthe center of the cask.

In the drawings, A represents a beer-cask, the inner walls or sides ofwhich are parallel, like a steam-cylinder. This cask is fitted with twoheads, as usual, each head being provided with two holes, a b, theformer being for the purpose of inserting the faucet d, and the latterto receive the end of the water-pipe h. Within the cask is placed thepiston-head B, provided with suitable packing.

When it is desired to draw 011' the contents of the cask, the faucet dis driven into the hole a in one head of the cask, while into the hole bin the other head the nozzle of a hosepipe, h, is driven, so as to bringa hydraulic pressure on the back of the piston B. Then,

as fast as the contents are drawn out through the faucet, the piston ismoved forward to compel the outflow, while they are not subjected toatmospheric influences. When the beer is all drawn out the piston willhave been moved up to the front head by the hydraulic pressure, so that,when refilled for subsequent use, the cask should be tapped on theopposite end.

If the piston be neatly fitted to the cask and properly packed, therewill be no blowing through of the water into the beer.

It will be seen that the means employed by me are quite inexpensive, andwill last for a great length of time, allowing the casks to be used overagain as often as at present.

I am aware that elastic air-bags have been heretofore placed in casksand inflated when it is desired to force out the beer; that a followeroperated by screw-power has been used for the same purpose; and alsothat a loose piston, with an inclosing-bag for holding the beer, hasbeen inserted in a cask and moved forward to force out the beer byinclining the cask and allowing the air to flow in behind the saidpiston through a hole in the end of the cask; but it will be readilyunderstood that these devices are much more expensive, as well as lessdurable, than mine.

What I claim as my invention is- The combination, with the cylindricalcask A, of the piston B, fitted water-tight in the said cask, andadapted to be moved in the same by water-pressure, said cask having twoholes at each end for the purpose of allowing a faucet, d, or pipe h tobe entered into either end of the cask, substantially as described andshown.

ALONZO HERSEY.

Witnesses:

H. F. EBERTS, H. S. SPRAGUE.

